INEC HALTS SENATOR NATASHA'S RECALL AS PETITION FAILS TO GAIN SUPPORT OF MORE THAN HALF KOGI WEST VOTERS

The Independent National Electoral Commission has stopped the move for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, after the petitioners behind the move failled to back up their petition with the signatures of more than half of the registered voters in the Senatorial District. INEC said that after the physical count of signatures and thumb-prints supplied by the petitioners, in line with provisions of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, it was able to ascertain 208,132 voters, which represents 43.86% of the total 474,554 registered voters in Kogi Central Senatorial District. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the report of the physical count of signatures and thumb-prints was adopted during the regular weekly meeting of the commission, which was held today, Thursday, April 3, 2025. "The Commission had assured Nigerians that it would handle the matter with fairness to the parties involved and in line with the provisions of the law and our Regulations and Guidelines. First, we ensured that the petitioners complied with the requirements for the submission of the petition. Secondly, we notified the member sought to be recalled in writing, copied the presiding officer of the Senate and simultaneously published the notice on our website. Thirdly, we informed Nigerians that the next step would be to carefully ascertain the number of signatures/thumbprints to ensure that the petition complies with the requirement of the law. This exercise has now been completed", Olumekun disclosed in a statement. Olumekun further noted that: "For emphasis, a petition for the recall of a Senator must comply with the provision of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which requires the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the constituency. The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e. 50%+1) is 237,277+1 which is at least 237,278 voters." He said that with a shortfall of 29,146 of the constitutional requirement, the petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution. "Therefore, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the Senator." Also, in line with the provision of Clause 2(d) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, the INEC spokesman said that the Commission has issued a Public Notice to that effect which is also copied to the presiding officer of the Senate. He said the Public Notice, along with a summary of the review of the signatures and thumb-prints of the petitioners, which are disaggregated by Local Government Areas, are available on our website and social media platforms for public information.